The Nike Shox R4 “Triple Black’ Releases Tomorrow!

Murdered out!

It was Sergio Lozano, designer of the Air Max 95, who played the pivotal role in the shoe’s hollowed-out rear design. The Shox system — the first of its kind — was inspired by Formula 1 car suspension systems, designed to absorb heel impact before a popping spring back, allowing the wearer to channel additional power into their next stride.

At the time, Nike described the development as “revolutionary.” Nike went H.A.M. on the rollout and the marketing, with Superstar hooper Vince Carter debuting the boing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

But for all Nike’s bravado, and Vince Carter’s monster dunk on the world stage, the public wasn’t convinced that the spring system was as revolutionary as Nike claimed. By the mid-’00s, as ‘heads began to favor lighter, more streamlined designs, the only people still wearing shocks were Jerry Seinfeld, Dr. House, and meth slingers.

The public has spoken, and Nike had no choice but to phase out the tech, shifting its focus to LunarFoam. By 2009, Shox was dead, appearing in retail outlets across the country for as little as $20

Ten years later, the idea of Shoxspring cushioning gets grouped with other failed sneaker tech that still strikes a nostalgic chord. It’s right up there with Reebok’s Pump tech, Nike’s responding design, the Air Pressure, and even the PUMA RS Computer Shoe.

But today, the landscape has changed. Consumers now look to purchase retro hoops shoes with a fashion-first mentality. Tech like this and Reebok’s Pump don’t need to serve the function they were once intended for — they only need to look good and, as aforementioned, get that right hit of nostalgia.

It seemed the time was right For Nike in 2018, with the Nike Shox making a triumphant return the mainstream last October, with limited re-releases of their OG colorways. But missed out on securing the boing, Nike is giving you another chance to lock in a pair, this time arriving in a classic “Triple Black” colorway.

A release date has finally been confirmed for February 14th, so spoil yourself this Valentine’s Day with the Nike Shox R4 “Triple Black”, landing on Nike.com for $140.

Be sure to check out our Release Calendar to stay up to date with Nike release dates, add reminders directly to your calendar and find direct links for each drop!